Stanchion-head.



A. W. KNUTSON.

STANCHION HEAD. Y APPLICATION FILED :MYH. 1911.

Patentefi Nov. 13, 191?.

INVENTOR ALFRED WM. KNUTSGN, F GALESBUEG, ELLINOIS.

ASSIGNOR T0 ROWE MANUFAC- TUBING ('30., O1 GALESBUBG, ELLEN Q15, ACQBPOBATIGN ILLINOIS.

STANCHION-EEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13,1917.

Application filed May 11, 191?. Serial No. 167,951.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. KNUT- son, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Stanchion-Head, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to heads for stanchions the respective members ofwhich interlock and which are instantly separable.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve, in several respectshereinafter stated, stanchion-heads of the type disclosed in my UnitedStates Patent No. 1,216,327, issued February 20, 1917. 111 heads of saidtype there has heretofore been constant danger that the edge of the handof the operator would be pinched between the forked guide-handles andthe stall-post which they straddle, as it is a common thing for him tohold on to the handles until he has positioned them. One of theimprovements is directed toward eliminating this danger.

Another object is to provide a novel adjustable head, in which theimprovements above referred to are incorporated and with which theycoact.

To provide novel structural features and novel arrangements andcombinations of the several elements entering into my improvements is anobject.

Goncisely stated it may be said that the principal object of theinvention is to generally improve the construction and to increase theutility and ehiciency of devices of this character.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation showing a stall in which is hung astanchion in which my improvements are incorporated;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the left handpart of the head;

Fig. 3, a similar view of a portion of the right hand side of the head;

Fig. at, a transverse vertical section, taken in the plane of the linesi in Figs. 3 and 6;

Fig. 5, a horizontal section of a portion of the left hand part of thehead;

Fig. 6, a plan, partly in horizontal section; and

Fig. 7, a detail of one of the handles.

Considering the drawings in detail and indicating the elements and,where necessary, the parts thereof each by a distinguishing numeral,uniformly employed, 2 indicates a stall-curb; 3, a stanchion-supportingrail; and 4:, 4c, stall-posts secured to said curb and supporting saidrail. 5 denotes a curb-link; 6, a yoke pivoted therein and having eyesthrough which move the links of a chain 7 the respective ends of whichare attached, by means of arms 7, to the stanchion-adjusting bar 8 whichis adjustable, by means of bolts 9, in the lower ends of thestanchion-arms 10, 11. Said parts are not claimed herein as new.

Secured to the rail 3 is an adjustingbracket 12 having pockets either ofwhichis adapted to receive the mushroom head 13 of a coupling 1% inwhich is adjustably mounted a tubular supporting arm 15, adapted to belocked therein by a bolt 16. This locking claimed in a copendingapplication filed by me of even date herewith, for joint or coupling andis not specifically claimed herein. Said arm 15 is adjustably mountedalso in an eye 17 arm 10, and also in the eye 18 of the look ing headbybolts 19 and 20 respectively, as will be more fully presentlydescribed. It may be stated at this time, however, that parts of theadjusting and locking mechanisms just referred to are disclosed also inmy a ove named conending application.

21 indicates a head the inner end of which has the eye 18 above noted.One of its pendent, spaced cheeks 22 is provided with an aperture 23which receives the bolt 20.

A transversely inclined way 25 adapted to be traversed by a nut 26engaging the bolt 20, is formed in the bottom of the head. A boss 27projects inwardly from the upper wall'of the head and seats in anopening 28 in the arm 15. When the arm 15 has been positioned theoperator will turn the bolt 20 tofurther thread it through the-nut 26.As the bolt-head is held from movement, the

. nut will thus be caused to travel up thev infeature is shown,described and in the upper end of the elined way 25, the latter forcingit against the arm and consequently forcing said arm into lockingfrictional contact with the upper wall or top of the head 21. The boss27 and aperture :28 serve not only as guides in positioning the arm 15,but also they aid in holding it in place should the bolt becomeloosened. Hinged at 30 between pairs of ears 29 at the rear end of thehead are a pair of operating-levers 31 the front end of each of whichconstitutes a stop 32 and the rear portion of each of which constitutesa handle. 33, 33 designate springs one end of each of which seats in apocket 3% in the front end of the coacting lever and the other end ofwhich fits over a boss 35 in the upper wall of the head.

36 indicates a slidin connection, hinged by a bolt 37 to the crown ofthe stanchion arm 11 and having at its outer end a rigid, integral fork38 adapted to straddle the adjacent stall-post 4. Its elongatedfore-portion is preferably I-shaped in cross section and is provided atits terminal with stopflanges 39, which, should the connection be drawnout to its limit in operation, strike the shoulders 40 on the lockinghandles 31. Disposed on each side of the web of the corn nection andarranged near said shoulders 40 is a lug a l. Projecting upward from theconnector is a thumb-piece as for a purpose presently described.

Assume the parts to be in the relative positions shown by full lines inFigs. 1 and 5. To release the connection 36 the operator has but tosqueeze toward each other the outer ends of the locking handles 31, thusbringing them to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5, and tosimultaneously press outwardly with his thumb on the thumb piece 4-2 torelease the connection 36 from the head 21. Said movement of theelements 31 removes the shoulders 40 from position to lock the lugs 41of the connection, and the pressure of the operators thumb on theprojection 42 causes the connection and thereby the stanchion arm 11 tomove to the dotted line position shown in Fig; 1. If the stanchion be inline transversely of the stall the fork 38 will automatically straddlethe post 4, and if it be off line said fork may be readily guided toposition. There Wlll be no danger of injury to the operators hand, forit does not follow the fork. It is to be noted also that the operationsof squeezing toward each other the elements 31, whereby to release theconnection 15, and of pressing on the projection 42 to start theconnection to moving out of the head 21, are performed by one hand, andthat therefore a one-handed man may operate the device as well as onepossessing both hands. A tongue-like projection 43 on the terminal ofthe connection 15 prevents, by catching on the shoulders 44 formed bythe inner terminals of the cheeks 29, accidental removal of theconnection, even thou 'h the shoulders be separated to let the flanges39 pass, but if it be desired to remove the connector from the head itmay be readily done by tipping the outer end of the connector downward,allowing the projection 43 to pass over the tops of said shoulders.

The absence of the usual large number of bolt-heads, nuts and similarprojecting ele ments, all of which are liable to injure the animalconfined in the stanchion, is to be noted. The construction shown is onein which the elements present almost uniformly smooth surfaces andfurther in which but few bolts and nuts are required.

For the purposes of this specification I shall herein consider the arm10 as a relatively stationary one. and the arm 11 as being movable withreference thereto. Also. I shall herein consider the connector 15 as themovable member of the locking head, and the member 21 the stationarymember of the head.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention I claim as new thefollowing, towit:

1. In a stanchion, a locking head comprising as one element a relativelystationary ember, connector-locking elements mounted in the said member,and a connector comprising the other member of the head, mounted toslide in said stationary member and to be locked therein by said lockingelements, said connector provided on its outer end with a post-engagingfork which lies normally between portions of the connector-lockingelements.

2. In a stanchion, a locking head comprising as one element a relativelystationary member, connector-locking elements as sociated with the saidmember, and a con nector comprising the other member of the head,mounted to slide in said stationary member and to be locked thee in bysaid locking elements, said connector provided on its outer end with apost-engaging fork which lies normally between portions of theconnector-locking elements.

3. In a stanchion, a locking head comprising as one element a relativelystationary member, connector-locking elements mounted in the saidmember, and a connector comprising the other member of the head, mountedto slide in said stationary member and to be locked therein by saidlocking elements, the connector having at its outer end a post-engagingfork which lies normally between portions of the connector-lockingelements.

4. In a stanchion, and in combination with stall-posts, a relativelystationary stanchionarm, a stanchion arm movable with reference to saidarm, a relatively stationary locking-head member, means for connectingit with the recited arm, locking elements associated with saidhead-member, and a connector constituting the other head member, adaptedto be locked in the first recited head-member by said locking elementsand having a fork adapted to engage one of the stall-posts, said forklying normally between extended portions of said locking elements.

5. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a pair ofstanchion'arms movably connected at their lower ends, alocking-head-member connected with one of tiem, locking elementsassociated with said member, and an element including a postengagingfork, connected with the other stanchion arm and adapted for engagementby said locking elements, the locking elements lying at the sides of andtending to prevent the operators hands from coming in contact with thefork.

6. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a pair of armsmovably connected at their lower ends, a locking-headmember connectedwith one of them, divergent locking-levers associated with said member,and an element including a post engaging fork, connected with the otherstanchion arm and adapted to move in said head-member and to be lockedtherein by said locking elements, said fork lying normally between thedivergent portions of said levers.

7. In a stanchion, and in combination with the arms thereof, alocking-head-member, a pair of divergent pivoted locking-levers, aconnector secured to the other arm and having at its outer end astall-pos -engaging fork, said locking-levers adapted to lock theconnector in said head-member and their divergent portions lyingnormally each at the outer side of one of the limbs of the fork.

8. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a relativelystationary stanchion-arm, a stanchioirarm movable relatively thereto, alocking-head-member connected with the stationary arm, locking elementshinged in said head-member and their outer ends constituting normallydivergent handles, a connector adapted to be locked by said lockingelements, said connector hav ing a post-engaging fork lying normallybetween said divergent handles, and means for securing the connector tothe movable stanchion-arm.

9. In a stanchion, a relatively stationary stanchion-arm, a relativelymovable stanchion-arm hingedly connected thereto at its lower end, asupporting arm secured to the stationary arm, a locking-head-memberslidable on the supporting-arm, means for forcing the supporting-arminto frictional contact with the upper wall of said lockinghead-mem er,and a locl'ring-heactmember carried by the movable stanchion arm andadapted to engage the other locking-headmember.

10. In a stanchion, a relatively stationary stanchion-arm, a relativelymovable stanchion-arm connected thereto at its lower end, asupporting-arm secured to said stationary arm, a locking-head-memberslidable on the supporting-arm and provided with an inclined way, a nutadapted to traverse said way, a bolt engaging the nut and adapted tocause it to travel upwardly on said way to thereby force said nutagainst the supporting-arm and the arm against the lock ing-head-member,and means cooperating with said locking-head-member for locking themovable stanchion-arm therein.

11. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a tubularstanchion-supporting-arm, a relatively stationary stanchion-armsupported thereby, a lockinghead-member also supported thereby,astanchion-arm hingedly connected at its lower end to the stationarystanchion-arm, a stall-post-engaging member carried by the movablestancl1ionarm and adapted to be secured in said locking'head-member, andlocking-andreleasing elements hinged to one of the head members andadapted to engage the other, said locking-and-releasing elements havingextensions between which the stall-post-engaging member normally lies.

12. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a tubularstanchion-supporting-arm, a relatively stationary stanchion-armsupported thereby, a lockinghead-member also supported thereby, lockingmembers hinged to said locking-headmember, their outer portions formingdivergent slidable in the first recited locking-head member and in saidtubular element and adapted to be locked by said locking elements, itsouter end constituting a post-engaging fork disposed between saiddivergent handles, and means for securing the slidablelocking-head-member to the movable stanchion-arm.

13. In a stanchion, and in combination with a stall-post, a tubularstanchion-supportingarm, a relatively stationary stanchion-arm supportedthereby, a lockinghead-member also supported thereby, looking elementshinged to said locking-headmember, their outer portions formingdivergent handles, a locking-head-membe'r slidable in the first recitedlocking-headmember and in said tubular element and adapted to be lockedby said locking elements, its outer end constituting a post-engaglngfork disposed between said divergent handles, a locking-head-member'handles, and means for hinging the slidable lower portions,looking-elements whereby locking-l1ead-member to the movable stantheirupper ends may be secured to each chion-arm. other, and astall-post-engaging member 1%. Combined in a stanchion stanchionlyingnormally between portions of said 10 5 arms one of which is adapted toswing, locking elements.

means for flexibly connecting them at their ALFRED WM. KN UTSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

